Taxi, limo companies vent to police over Uber invasion

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June 27, 2014|By Mark Schlueb, Orlando Sentinel

Orlando's taxi and limo companies met Friday with the Orlando police division that regulates them to complain about what they see as a major threat: Uber, the smartphone-based ridesharing company that hit town this month.

The meeting follows a crackdown by police during the past few days in which six drivers were ticketed and their vehicles towed. Orlando leaders are trying to figure out how to deal with Uber, which has ignored regulations that have governed taxi and luxury vehicles for decades.

"They're coming in and not playing by the same rules and regulations we have to follow. We want everybody to compete on the same field," said Cliff Wright, president of the Greater Orlando Limousine Association, which represents about 65 transportation companies.

Orlando requires permits for both drivers and vehicles, commercial insurance and police background checks, among other things.

By contrast, San Francisco-based Uber has mostly signed up regular people who don't drive professionally but want to use their own cars to supplement their income. Uber provides a smartphone app that connects them to customers.

"It's all about safety for us. Safety is number one, always," said Deputy Chief Robert Pigman, who oversees the city's Vehicle For Hire office.

City administrators and Mayor Buddy Dyer met with Uber representatives Wednesday and said they're open to amending the city's rules to accommodate so-called ridesharing services such as Uber's.

They sought ideas from about 50 transportation-company owners and drivers who attended Friday's meeting. Most said they would welcome Uber if its drivers paid for the same permits and insurance as existing companies.

"I hope we can make them legal, but they need to have the same permits we have," said Barbara White of VIP Transportation Group.

"In some cities, drivers wake up in the morning, and they owe their taxi company $100 for the privilege of using that vehicle for the day," Kintz said. "That model keeps the drivers trapped in a cycle of poverty."

One person at Friday's meeting said drivers' real enemy is Mears Transportation Group, which controls about half the taxi permits in Orlando.

"Mears is making all the rules and regulations here. The city of Orlando works for Mears," said Amir Khan, adding that he had signed up with Uber. "I'm very happy Uber is here. It's going to break that monopoly."